The Recruiting Guy

Razorback commit Smith impresses new high school coach

Sylvan Hills junior Nick Smith, who is rated as one of the nation’s top players for the 2022 recruiting class, averaged 25 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists per game this season, despite facing double and triple teams throughout the season. (Arkansas Democrat-Gazette/Justin Cunningham)

North Little Rock basketball Coach Johnny Rice and ESPN national recruiting director Paul Biancardi agree recent University of Arkansas guard commitment Nick Smith Jr. is a different type player.

Smith, 6-5, 185 pounds, played his sophomore and junior years at Sylvan Hills before transferring to North Little Rock in late July and started working out with the team in early August.

Rice, who has only coached Smith for about two months, has quickly noticed a strong trait of his new player.

“In the short time that I’ve got to coach him and been around him, he’s probably the most intense competitive player I’ve coached,” Rice said. “That can really separate him apart from the other great ones I’ve coached like a KeVaughn Allen, Anton Beard, Dayshawn Watkins, KJ Hill. He has that level athleticism, but he has a drive and a competitiveness that you just don’t see all the time.

“I told him just the other day that he’s so competitive at practice, he makes his teammates better and he holds them accountable. He can do that because he does what he’s supposed to do, practicing hard with effort and all that.”

Allen was an ESPN 4-star and the No. 56 overall prospect in the nation for the 2015 class before going on to play at Florida where he finished as the Gators’ No. 6 all-time leading scorer with 1,723 points. He’s currently playing professionally in Belgium.

Rice said Allen also had a strong competitive drive.

“Not saying anything bad about KeVaughn because at North Little Rock he’s it,” Rice said. “He ought to have a statue of him somewhere around that gym at some point. Nick has a little different go-get it about him that I really haven’t seen before.”

An ESPN 5-star prospect, Smith is also rated the No. 4 shooting guard and the No. 6 overall prospect in the nation for the 2022 class. He was named the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette All-Arkansas Preps Underclassman of the Year as a sophomore and was named the All-Arkansas Preps Player of the Year after averaging 25 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists as a junior.

During 3-on-3 and 4-on-4 drills, Smith rarely lets his team lose.

“They might not be the most talents guys I got, but seldom does his group lose because he just doesn’t allow it,” Rice said.

Rice is entering his 10th season at the school and has won five state titles and been runner-up once. He’s prime to make another strong run at another title with Smith and Oregon center commitment Kel’el Ware leading the way.

“Besides being an elite athlete and an elite basketball player skill wise, he has an elite mindset when it comes to being competitive and playing with passion and an energy level that you either have it or you don’t,” said Rice of Smith. “That’s the reason why he’s the No. 6 player in the nation.”

Biancardi said Smith can score from anywhere on the floor.

“He’s one of the best shooters and scorers in the Class of 2022,” Biancardi said. “He’s a verified, certified three-level scorer.

“He’s a combo guard, but by nature he scores the ball best. … He is getting better playing with the ball in his hands. He has excellent range and he really has a beautiful touch on the mid-range. … His floater game is special which makes him hard to guard.”